The largest waterfall on earth. The most powerful waterfalls on the planet. Tallest waterfall

When a river bed encounters a sharp change in altitude along its path, the flow does not stop, but begins to fall vertically, forming a waterfall. This natural phenomenon amazes the imagination with its beauty and picturesqueness, and often its grandeur. In this article we will tell you about the most wonderful waterfalls on the planet. We will focus not only on the height of the flow, but also on its power.

Kerepakupai-meru

Venezuela, a country in northern South America, is home to the largest waterfall in the world. Its flows fall from a height of 979 meters. This natural attraction is hidden in the tropical forests of the Canaima National Park in the state of Bolivar.

Kerepakupai-meru is the new name given to the waterfall by the President of Venezuela in 2009. Before that, he was called Angel - in honor of the pilot who accidentally discovered this miracle of nature in 1933. Locals and tourists still use the old name.

The largest waterfall not only in South America, but throughout the world, originates at the top of the table mountain Auyan Tepui, which means “devil’s mountain”, and flows into the waters of the Kerep River.

The area where Angel Falls is located is wild and inaccessible. The easiest way to get to these regions is by air or river; the ascent on foot takes 10 or more days. An excursion to Angel costs about $300, but despite the high cost, tourists from all over the world are eager to see the largest waterfall in the world.

Tugela

This is the largest waterfall in Africa and the second highest in the world. It falls in a five-step cascade from the eastern cliff of the Drakensberg Mountains, located in the Natal National Park, South Africa. Its highest point is 948 meters above the ground, and its foot is the source of the river of the same name.

Travelers can approach the waterfall from both sides along specially equipped paths. It costs only US$50 to visit Africa's largest waterfall. But for this money, tourists get real pleasure, admiring the narrow ribbon of thundering water in the rays of the setting sun.

Three sisters

It ranks third in the ranking of “The Largest Waterfall on Earth.” It is an unusually picturesque spectacle: three arms of the cascade rapidly fly down from a height of 914 meters. Located in the south of Peru, in the country of Ayacucho. It is not easy to approach due to the inaccessibility of the surrounding forest.

It is noteworthy that there is another beautiful waterfall in the world with the poetic name Three Sisters. It is located in North Ossetia. It begins at one point on the Taymazi glacier, but then splits into three branches, falling from a height of more than 300 meters. Officially they are called Taymazinsky waterfalls.

Olopena

The Hawaiian island of Molokai is famous not only for its wonderful beaches and beautiful resorts, but also for the 900-meter Olopena Falls. The water slides like a thin ribbon between the rocks, sandwiched on both sides by volcanic mountains. Therefore, it is difficult to find this attraction on your own. But excursions to the waterfall are regularly organized, very popular among tourists.

Yumbilla

And again we return to South America - to the country of Peru. It was here, in the Amazonas region, in 2007 that another stream falling from a cliff with a height of 896 meters was discovered. Although it rounds out the top five tallest waterfalls in the world, it is far from the largest waterfall. The amount of water discharged is very small, and in the dry season the stream dries up completely.

Niagara Falls

“Rumbling water” is how the name Niagara is translated from the language of the local Indians. It is given very accurately. The water rumbles with such force that in the area of 500 meters nothing can be heard at all, and the noise of the flow spreads for many kilometers around.

How many meters high are Niagara Falls? Only 53 meters. Of course, in this parameter he cannot be compared with Angel. As mentioned above, the height of the tallest waterfall in the world is almost a kilometer. But Niagara's power is simply amazing - every second it discharges 5,700 cubic meters of water or 3 million liters. In terms of this indicator, he has no equal on the entire planet. That's why it is often called the largest waterfall on Earth.

It is located in North America, in the middle reaches of the Niagara River, on the border of the United States and Canada. Millions of tourists visit it every year; fortunately, an excursion costs only $30. There are many other attractions around. The region's infrastructure is very well developed.

Victoria

This is the world's widest waterfall. Its flows stretched for 1800 meters along a huge cliff that stood in the way of the Zambezi River, South Africa. The height of Victoria Falls is also significant - 120 meters. The modern name of the stream was given by the Scottish geographer David Livingston in honor of Queen Victoria. Although the aborigines still call the waterfall Mosioa Tunya, which means “thundering smoke”.

A special city has been built in this region for travelers who want to admire this wonder of the world. Due to revolutionary unrest in Zimbabwe and Zambia, which are located in close proximity to Victoria Falls, the flow of tourists to this area has decreased somewhat.

Iguazu

This is a complex of waterfalls in South America, on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It is called the eighth wonder of the world. In total, about 270 streams are connected here, which stretch for 3 kilometers. The largest of them is the “Devil's Throat” with a height of 83 meters. Every hour, Iguazu throws down more than 1 billion tons of water with a terrible roar, and water dust rises many tens of meters up. Iguazu, translated from the language of the local Guarani Indian tribe, means “great water,” which is completely justified. After all, the seething power of the streams is simply mesmerizing. Every year more than 1.5 million tourists visit the natural attraction, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only here you can observe an amazing phenomenon: a huge rainbow in the light of the moon.

The most significant waterfall in Europe

It is located in Norway, in the county of Mere og Romsdal, and is called Vinnufossen. It is a cascade system with a height of 860 meters, which makes it the sixth highest waterfall in the world.

Streams run down a steep slope and are lost in dense forest thickets. The waterfall looks especially impressive from afar, when you can appreciate all its picturesqueness and grandeur.

The largest waterfall in Russia

This is Talnikovy waterfall. It is located in a remote place on the Putorana Plateau, or more precisely, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, near the left bank of Lake Dyupkun. The height of this waterfall is 700 meters. It falls like a sheer wall from the flat top of Mount Trapezium and rushes down 15 cascading steps.

It is noteworthy that Talnikovy waterfall is a seasonal phenomenon. It is formed in the spring during the snow melting period and lasts for several months, completely drying out by the end of summer.

Russia is a vast country, its remote corners conceal many secrets. It is quite possible that a higher waterfall will soon be discovered in our country.

Angel Falls is located on the territory of the state of Venezuela in the Canaima National Park on the mainland of South America. It was discovered by the Spanish pioneer Ernesto Sanchez la Cruz, not so long ago, namely in 1910. However, the whole world learned about it even later - in 1935, when it was discovered while flying nearby by American pilot and gold miner J.C. Angel. Actually, the waterfall is named after him (or rather, his surname) (in Spanish, Angel sounds like Angel).

The height of Angel Falls is 979 (according to other sources - 1054) meters, which is twenty times higher than Niagara. It falls from the top of Mount Auyantepui. Moreover, falling from a kilometer height, the water does not reach the end, but descends as fog spreading for many kilometers around the waterfall. The height of the giant was measured in 1949 by an official expedition of the National Geographic Society.

The discovery was a matter of chance; the monoplane he was piloting got stuck in the impassable jungle. This is where Jimmy noticed the giant waterfall. His plane lay at the site of the unsuccessful landing for 33 years, remaining a mute witness to the discovery of its owner, until it was lifted by a helicopter.

In 2009, the late President of Venezuela, guided by anti-imperialist aspirations, renamed his country's main attraction Kerepakupai-meru (one of the names of the local population). But for the whole world it is still better known by its original name.

Oddly enough, the tallest waterfall in the world - Angel (full name Salto Angel) - is not the most famous and popular in the world. Niagara Falls in North America and Victoria Falls in Africa are much more popular. This is largely due to the not very favorable location of the giant. It is surrounded on all sides by impenetrable tropical forest. The only way to get there is by plane or helicopter, or along the Kerep River, Angel’s final destination.

Tours to the Salto Angel Falls are organized by air from the capital of the country, Caracas, and from the city of Ciudad Bolivar, and they are sold in packages. The package also includes landing in the village of Canaima, where the entrance to the National Park is located, subsequent water crossing directly to the waterfall, food, and all the necessary accessories.

In conclusion, it is worth saying that Venezuela is rich in waterfalls. In particular, not far from Angel there is the Acha Falls, a little further - the Arrasine Falls, on the border with Guyana.

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There are a lot of unique, beautiful places on our planet, and the most impressive objects of Mother Nature are waterfalls. They are truly beautiful, you can look at them for hours watching how tens of tons of water in a continuous stream fall from the ledge, creating an incomparable view. But which waterfall is the highest on earth, and where it is located - that’s what we’ll talk about in today’s article.

Tallest waterfall in the world - this is Angel in Venezuela with a height of almost 979 meters (although some believe that it is 75 meters higher and its real height is 1 km. 54 m, but despite this it takes an honorable first place).

For the first time, Venezuelan researcher Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz mentioned it in 1912, but still did not officially publish his discovery.

21 years later, on November 16, 1933, American pilot Jimmy Crawford Angel accidentally noticed it while flying in his small plane, and the waterfall was named after him.

A few years later, he decided to return to him and learn more about him. Taking their wife and three comrades with them, they tried to land nearby, but due to the fact that the plane was damaged and its wheels were completely sunk in the swampy soil, they had to go down on foot to the very bottom. It took them 11 days to reach civilization.

A little later, 18 years later, the Latvian explorer Alexander Laime in 1955 decided to independently reach this area and, as a result of much effort, he succeeded. In the mid-60s, they managed to raise the fallen plane and it was taken to one of the aviation museums.

Angel Falls is one of Venezuela's top tourist attractions, but even today, traveling to it is not an easy task.

3. The Three Sisters waterfall is located in Peru, deep in the forests and got its name due to the fact that it is divided into three parts. Its height is 914 meters.

4. "Olupena" - the highest waterfall in the United States, located in Hawaii, it is only 14 meters less than the "Three Sisters". There are several around it, so getting to it without special transport is basically impossible.

5. “Yumbilla” - located near the well-known Amazon River. As for its height, the numbers here differ slightly. Some sources claim that its real height is 870 m, but other sources claim that it is 25 meters higher.

6. Norwegian V. Vinnufossen takes sixth place in our ranking, and is the highest waterfall in Europe - 860 meters.

7. In Russia, the Talnikovy waterfall is considered the highest - 600 meters.

Among all the wonders given to man by nature, waterfalls are perhaps the most popular. Their beauty fascinates tourists, and their power inspires admiration. Below is a list of the ten fastest, most powerful waterfalls in the world, including those that have been destroyed by man.

Victoria is a waterfall on the Zambezi River, on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is considered one of the largest geographical landmarks in Africa. It was discovered in 1855 by Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone. The width of the waterfall is approximately 1,800 meters, height - 128 meters. Average water consumption is 1,088 m³/s.

Iguazu is a cascade of waterfalls located on the Iguazu River on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná (in the Southern region of Brazil) and the Argentine province of Misiones. It was discovered for Europeans in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Don Alvaro Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, who arrived in the American jungle in search of gold. Interestingly, approximately once every forty years during a drought, Iguazu dries out completely. It is one of the most visited tourist sites in South America. More than 700,000 tourists try it every year. Depending on the state of the water in the river, the number of waterfalls ranges from 150 to 300, and their height ranges from 40 to 82 m. The average water flow is approx. 1,500 m³/s, and in different seasons varies from 500 to 6,500 m³/s.

Urubupunga is a waterfall on the Paraná River on the border of the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil. It had a width of 2,012 meters, a height of 13 m (in a cascade of two rapids), the water consumption was 2,747 cubic meters per second. Unfortunately, it was flooded due to rising river levels as a result of the construction of the Sousa Díaz hydroelectric power station, which at one time was the largest hydroelectric power station in Brazil.

Paulo Afonso

Paulo Afonso is a series of rapids and three waterfalls in northeastern Brazil, on the São Francisco River. It has a height of 84 m and an average width of 18 m. Although the water here no longer falls freely from a great height, since the hydroelectric power station and dam have blocked the river, it can however be seen again during floods, when the additional flow of the dam is opened. Before this, the waterfall on average flowed about 3,000 m³ of water per second, the maximum flow rate was 14,158 m³/s.

Niagara Falls is a group of large waterfalls on the Niagara River in eastern North America, on the border between the United States and Canada. Famous for its beauty. Its maximum height is 53 m, width - 790 m (Horseshoe Falls). In terms of the volume of water passing through it, it is the most powerful in North America: more than 3,160 tons of water per second, during periods of greatest activity 5,720 m³/s. was first discovered to Europeans by the Belgian missionary and traveler Louis Enpen in 1677.

Para is a waterfall located on the Caura River in South America, in the state of Bolivar, in the tropical, inaccessible forests of Venezuela. The water here falls in seven cascades from a height of 64 meters (according to other sources - 60 m). The width of the waterfall is 5,608 m, it drops every second 3,540 m³ water, during the flood period the water flow can reach up to 11,327 m³/s.

Selille is a ruined waterfall on the Columbia River in North America, on the border of the states of Oregon and Washington (USA). Selil Falls, which existed until 1957 on the lower Columbia River, was a regular fishing spot for local tribes until the construction of the 79-meter Dallas Dam. With a small height, only about 6 meters, it was one of the fastest waterfalls that ever existed on Earth, with an average annual water flow 5,366 m³/s, during floods the flow rate could reach 11,300 m³/s.

Khon is a waterfall in southeast Asia on the Mekong River, in the extreme south of Laos. The total height of the water fall here is 21 meters, the length of the cascades is 9.7 km. The waterfall consists of several thousand islands and countless water branches and channels. Its average width is 10,783 m, maximum - 12,954 m. According to this indicator, it is considered the widest in the world. On average he resets every second 11,610 m³ water, and during the period of maximum water level in the river, the flow rate can reach 49,554 m³/s. It was discovered in 1920 by researcher E. Khokhan.

Guaira is a once-existing waterfall on the Parana River on the border of Brazil and Paraguay, west of the Brazilian city of Guaira. It included 18 cascades with a total height of 114 m. The waterfall was one of the largest in the world in terms of water flow - 13,309 m³/s. The cascading water created a deafening noise that could be heard 30 km away. It was also considered an important tourism center for many years, but ceased to exist in 1982 when it was blown up to flood the Itaipu Dam reservoir. It is interesting that before his final “death” he managed to take revenge on humanity and took with him 82 tourists who expressed a desire to say goodbye to him. Guaira tore down the suspension bridge on which they stood and pulled them into the watery abyss.

Stanley or Boyoma Falls is a waterfall in Central Africa, on the Lualaba River, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a series of seven waterfalls (thresholds), with a total height of 61 m, a width of 1,372 m, and a length of up to 100 km. On average, he misses every second 16,990 m³ water, and during the flood period, water flow can reach up to 51,933 m³/s. It was named after the discoverer, famous British journalist and outstanding traveler and explorer of Africa Henry Morton Stanley.

The widest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls, is 1,708 meters wide (but only 108 meters high). It is located in southern Africa, on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls is one of the largest in the world. In the language of local African tribes, her name means “roaring smoke.”

Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. David Livingstone, a Scottish explorer, is believed to be the first European to discover the falls. And he named it after Queen Victoria.

During the rainy season, every minute, more than 19 million cubic meters of water falls into the Zambezi Gorge. The result of the spray, or vapor, can sometimes be seen 25 miles away.

By the end of 2000, almost 800 thousand people a year had the opportunity to visit the falls, and in the next twenty years the number will increase to two million per year.

Unlike an amusement park, Victoria Falls Park receives more visitors from Zimbabwe and Zambia than foreign tourists as it is accessible by bus and train and is therefore relatively inexpensive.